The agreement will cover ongoing licensing and merchandising as well as products surrounding the band's upcoming Psycho Circus World Tour. KISS' renewal of the agreement comes on the heels of its Alive Worldwide '96-'97 tour -- the number one grossing tour of 1996 - 1997 and its licensing and merchandising program managed by Sony Signatures.

Setting an unprecedented standard, Sony Signatures' 1996 - 1997 KISS merchandising campaign garnered more revenue in retail and concert merchandise than any other musical act. The program won Spencer Gifts' "License of the Year" award in 1997 and the Licensing Industry Merchandiser's Association (LIMA) nominated Sony Signatures' KISS program for both "License of the Year" and "Licensee of the Year - Hard Goods" (for the popular KISS Action Figures by McFarlane Toys).

"The overwhelming success of our previous KISS program points to Sony Signatures' ability to work in both the retail and concert tour arenas with record-setting results," said Joseph Bongiovi, Vice President of Music Licensing and Marketing for Sony Signatures. "We are able to bring our licensees up to another level of creativity and the result is phenomenal, with products appealing to several generations of KISS fans."

The KISS licensing and merchandising momentum generated by Sony Signatures in 1997 has rolled into 1998 with several very exciting new products surrounding the Psycho Circus studio album, world tour and popular comic book characters. The studio album will be released on September 22, 1998 and will be the first in more than 20 years to feature all four original KISS members. On October 31, 1998 KISS will kick-off the Psycho Circus World Tour with a Halloween party at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The tour is expected to run through 1999.

Sony Signatures' most recent non-tour product featuring KISS is the KISS Internet Service Provider (ISP). The ISP KISSONLINE.NET, provided by Community ISP, will be available to fans when the band's forthcoming album, Psycho Circus, hits stores on September 22, 1998. Sony Signatures, KISS and MasterWorks Marketing have worked in conjunction with Mercury Records to encrypt the installation application for the ISP onto the music CD, thus making Psycho Circus an enhanced CD.

The enhanced CD will allow fans with Windows 95 to use the CD on their PC to play music, install the KISSONLINE.NET Internet access service or download a free KISS screensaver featuring graphics from the Psycho Circus CD. Mac users will be provided with a special toll-free number to call to sign up for the KISSONLINE.NET service.

The KISSONLINE.NET home page will offer its members exclusive extra bonuses, news about the band and activities for KISS fans, such as an interactive store, auctions, special contests, live video streaming from the Psycho Circus tour, live chats with the band and more. The KISS ISP will offer World Wide Web access, KISS vanity E-mail addresses and customized personal Web pages. The KISS service will cost $19.95 per month for unlimited access to the Web; the new KISS Psycho Circus CD will be sold at national music retailers at a suggested $19.95 list price.

In addition to the kick-off concert at Dodger Stadium, KISS fans can also look forward to an exciting Halloween this year with expressive costumes and makeup kits produced by Sony Signatures licensee Paper Magic/Illusive Concepts. The costumes and makeup will replicate KISS band members and other themes running through KISS' musical releases. One of Paper Magic's most popular items is the KISS Destroyer collectible figurine based on the Destroyer album cover, which lists for $79.95 at major national music and specialty gift retailers. Sony Signatures is currently developing a new sculpture with Paper Magic called KISSTOBER - masks which will incorporate images of all four band members. A gallery of KISS collectibles produced by Sony Signatures will travel on tour with the band, attracting fans in every city.

Sony Signatures' plans with KISS continue to be far-reaching and include special VIP events, contests and promotions. Touting a large collector fan base, KISS fans are buying product at all price points ranging from $9.99 to $919.96. Consumers continue to purchase KISS items in sets of four, rather than individually, as a celebration of the band's reuniting.

Sony Signatures, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, is a worldwide entertainment merchandising, marketing, promotional and licensing company. Founded in 1993, Sony Signatures has quickly become an industry leader in merchandising, licensing and marketing, representing high-profile artists and entertainment properties including The Beatles, Madonna, Celine Dion, Godzilla, Men In Black and many others. Sony Signatures is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Los Angeles, London, Paris and Munich.

For more information about Sony Signatures or artwork for KISSONLINE.NET, please phone Kirsten Maynard, Landis Communications at 415/975-5880.

CONTACT: Landis Communications | Kirsten Maynard, 415/975-5880

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